EATING WELL ON THE CHEAP - Think Canned fish

We try to eat fish once or twice a week, but....Did you see the price of fish lately?  OUTRAGEOUS!

I don't know about you, but I refuse to buy Salmon, Tuna or Swordfish steaks at $13.99 a pound.  Besides, how often do you see real "fresh ocean fish" available, hardly ever.  Almost every fish displayed for purchase at the sea-food counter in the markets is farm-raised.

Frankly, I buy fish that Americans consider trash but are highly prized for their flavor in other parts of the world : whiting, sardines, bluefish, mackerel, skate.  When these are not available at my local fish store, I consider canned fish as an easy and economical alternative.  It offers the same health benefits and the culinary possibilities go well beyond sandwiches. We love it in pasta and salads.

Spaghetti con tonno e Profumo di limone

Spaghetti with Tuna and Scent of Lemon

1 lb. spaghetti
¼ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes
2- 6-oz. cans olive oil–packed tuna (undrained)
1 tbsp. lemon zest
Juice of ½ lemon
3 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
salt and black pepper

1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until it is just al dente, about 10 minutes.  Reserve 1⁄2 cup of pasta water. Drain and reserve pasta.

2. Heat 4tbsp. of the extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red chili flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens.  Add tuna, lemon juice and cook, stirring and breaking up tuna into small chunks for 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Add reserved pasta and water and toss with tuna sauce.  Cook, stirring with tongs, until sauce clings to pasta. Stir in parsley and lemon zest, season with salt to taste, and drizzle with more oil.  Serve immediately.



Spaghetti con tonno

Canned salmon allows me to serve wild salmon year-round, especially when fresh is expensive and hard to find.

 Tuna salad on a bed of arugula

Tuna and cannellini beans

 Canned mackerel salad with spring onions and garlic

Lately, there have been safety worries regarding salmon and tuna. Salmon has been linked with cancer and there have been concerns about tuna's levels of mercury.

Despite these issues, many experts believe that the health benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks.

What seafood restaurants will not tell you

http://online.wsj.com/video/what-seafood-restaurants-wont-tell-you/E6B17C23-CE41-49AA-8790-87D99ECDE426.html


High-quality canned seafood can be a cool, healthy feast
http://articles.philly.com/2012-08-23/news/33343385_1_canned-salmon-salmon-cakes-canned-seafood

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